TBI Weekly

TBI Weekly: Spotify re-enters the programming game

Spotify has been reaching out to select producers for new video content as it looks to once again populate its platform with music-focused programming. On the heels of news that the platform has hired Condé Nast Entertainment’s acting president Sarah Elhabashi as its new content business VP, one producer has told TBI that they were approached […]

TBI Weekly: 10 things we know about Disney’s 2019 strategy

Disney revealed crucial details this week around its plans for Fox’s entertainment assets and how they fit into the business’s wider SVOD plans. We now know that the turbo-charged service set to give Netflix a run for its money is Disney+, which will launch with brands including Nat Geo, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and Disney […]

TBI Weekly: Linear TV showing “no new signs of life”

Linear television is showing no new signs of life and mega-mergers could be a boon for addressable TV, according to the second annual ‘State of Video’ report from the WPP-owned advertising media giant GroupM. The report paints a gloomy but stable picture for linear TV, whose falling ratings and lack of innovative ad formats are […]

TBI Weekly: Netflix cancellations in context

The recent slew of Netflix cancellations can reveal some important strategy plans coming from the platform, according to TV consultant Stephen Arnell. “Recent cancellations on Netflix display an increasingly focused approach and a realisation of the evolving SVoD market,” he says. Just this week, it was revealed that the company will pull the plug on […]

TBI Weekly: What’s next for Comcast, Sky and the Murdochs?

As 21st Century Fox walks away from Sky after selling its 39% stake in the business to Comcast, Ampere Analysis research director Guy Bisson predicts that Sky will transform – but don’t expect major changes. Believe it or not, but I was one of Sky TV’s very first employees. Back in the late 1980s while […]

TBI Weekly: Top takeaways from RTS London

A vibrant RTS London conference earlier this week saw top figures in the UK market underline the pressing need for collaboration in the face of FAANG. But opinions were split on whether the likes of Netflix and Amazon are friend or foe. The day-long event saw senior figures such as All3Media’s Jane Turton label the […]

TBI Weekly: Netflix starts seeing the Apple effect

This week, Netflix started showing signs of stress from upcoming streaming competitors. On Wednesday Netflix shares were down by 6.2% by market cap. This was after a note was shared by Morgan Stanley revealing its positive predictions for Apple’s upcoming video streaming service. The note stated that Apple’s upcoming service may be priced at a […]

TBI Weekly: Will Facebook Watch make an impact?

This week, there has been a lot of buzz around the global rollout of Facebook Watch, but it has been accompanied by cynicism over the potential of its success. Although Facebook execs were keen to explain how well the service has performed in the US, its beta testing territory, so far many have been quick […]

TBI Weekly: Takeaways from Edinburgh

At this week’s Edinburgh International TV Festival, key execs revealed what they’re looking for on their channels and platforms. Here’s some key takeaways. BBC One controller Charlotte Moore said she’s looking to tell British stories for a British audience, but adds that producers shouldn’t censor themselves just because they’re pitching to the BBC. Moore also […]

TBI Weekly: Two ways an SVOD burst impacts the industry

As news of NBCU’s planned streaming service designed to ‘pay’ users to watch was revealed this week, it begged the question: what does this burst in new SVOD concepts mean for content? In the past month we’ve seen three major SVOD developments that will no doubt shake up the industry. Firstly it was revealed that […]